Tear It All Up
by Kagii
Summary: Jake and Will get called to help a town engulfed in a black fog. They thought they'd solved their problems with each other, but have they? will their jealuosly and distrust tear them apart? and,as a side note, what's up with that fog? brotherly love
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: yes, I saw the movie and enjoyed it enough to write this. I don't own anything, though I get the feeling I'll buy the DVD when it comes out. Also, I'm using all the movie information, not the actual, historical stuff. Like their ages being reversed in the movie. I'm using that. Also, forgive my lack of knowledge of German geographical history.

1

"Jacob!" Wilhelm Grimm grabbed the back of his younger brother neck and tossed him to the ground. A chair exploded against the wall where he had just been standing. Will then dove down next to him.

"Will! What are we doing?" Jake hissed in his brother's ear.

"You know exactly _what_ we're doing. We're making money," he whispered back, then, louder. "Vile Witch! You'll get what's coming to you!" his voice dropped to a whisper again. "We've been planning and practicing and rehearsing for months Jake, it's going great!"

"I can not believe we're doing this to people! It's horrible!" He made to stand up quickly, but Will yanked him back down as another pile of furniture flew past. "This is wrong, will!"

"Oh shut up, Jake." He sighed dramatically. "We'll continue this later." He stood up, pulled a hefty sword from his belt, and continued the act.

Their first adventure, scam, call it what you want but oh how Jake wished for those times again. They were simpler times and while they were also less honest times, they were so much easier. And Will would always manage to explain away the moral faults of their chosen profession. He would say sternly, "Jake. We need the money. Our poor dear mother needs the money, and I don't think we're going to find any _magic beans_ to solve our financial problems." That would quickly shut up Jake up every time. Of course, once their mother died, the scamming was just a very successful profession, that would be a pain in the ass, and not to mention a little difficult, to stop doing.

"You know all these legends Jake," Will told him one afternoon, as the rode away from another triumphant trick. "I don't really get why, but you do, and the villagers believe them. They believe in all this silly magic and stuff. I mean, think of it this way Jake, we're the best frauds around. We make these peoples fears_ real_. They're not just stories anymore, not for them. We make their worst fears come alive!" He laughed merrily. Jake couldn't see the humor in it.

Now though, the brothers did their very best to live a quiet existence. After the Mirror Witch incident they stayed in Marbaden and things changed between them. Will believed in magic… a little. And despite his complete recovery, still had occasional heart difficulties, of which he told no one about. Jake wrote. A lot. He stayed with Angelika, who he loved truly and dearly. While he hoped to marry her someday, he still saw her affection towards his brother. Jake knew (and highly resented) that Will could take Angelika from him whenever he wanted, for she loved him too and Will was better looking and a good bit more charming. Jake often cast sad, distressed looks between his brother and Angelika whenever they were in the same room together. This feeling of distrust tore at Jakes relationship with both Angelika and Will more than he could actually know.

Life was easy in Marbaden, now that the forest didn't try to eat people and the trees didn't move. Jake ventured into the depths of the forest time and again to be immersed in how quiet it was. Will flirted shamelessly with any woman that would let him.

The brothers were closer than ever now, and Will's constant taunting had finally stopped. It was a welcome relief. The pair were basically inseparable, when it came right down to it. One never left town without the other, even if they were only leaving for a few days, or less. Will's heart tore when Jake would refuse to let himself be accompanied into the woods.

The messages from desperate towns seeking help slowed quickly, and stopped all together after just a few months.

At the point when Marbaden was so peaceful and so quiet and so undeniably dull that it drove Will crazy, a young man rode into town and began asking for the Brothers Grimm.

Will met him happily. The boy said nothing, nor did he even dismount his horse, but he simply handed Will a wax sealed note and rode away. By the time Jake arrived on the scene, the messenger was out of sight.

"What does it say?" he asked, eying the yellow paper clasped tightly in Will's hand.

"I haven't opened it yet…" Will sounded distracted. Jake ignored it.

"Well do. I'd like to know what all that mysteriousness was about."

"'Mysteriousness'? Jake, honestly." Will smiled and popped the seal.

"Are we sure... sure it's for us then?"

"Of course. It's got our names on it," Will said. He flipped the paper over to show 'Herrs Wilhelm und Jacob Grimm' in delicate writing. He opened the envelope and read it silently.

"Will! What does it say?" Will grunted but obliged in reading the letter out loud.

"'Dear Grimms," He read. "Our town is being troubled by the most horrible darkness. It has invaded all of our water and has left a dark fog in its wake. We kindly ask for your expertise and assistance in removing this horrid curse from our village. Sincerely, the town of Coburg, east of Frankfurt." Will ended lamely, and looked over at his little brother, who seemed deeply engrossed in thought. "What?"

"Sounds like The Plague to me." Jake said darkly.

"Sounds like evil magic to me. It also sounds like fun." He noticed Jakes worry and added, "Let's just go check it out. We'll keep our collars up and not touch anybody, okay?" Jake sighed loudly but nodded. Will grinned, clapped his brother on the back and strode off to pack and prepare for the trip.

XO

The night before their departure, Jacob slept poorly. He opened his eyes in the middle of the night to pitch blackness. Listening carefully for the comforting sound of his brother's breathing in the next bed over, he couldn't hear it.

"Will?" he asked quietly. "Will?" louder this time. He sat up, ears straining for any sort of reply. "Will?" His voice cracked with anxiousness and nerves and fear. He still couldn't see anything. "Will?" Hands grabbed his shoulders and shook him.

"Jake! I'm here. I'm right here." Jakes vision cleared and in the dim starlight that filled the room he could see the tired face of his brother in front of him. Jake was panting. "Are you alright?" Jake glanced, panicky, around the room, trying to avoid Will's gaze.

"Yes." He breathed. "Yes, I'm fine."

"It was really odd. You were calling out and I kept answering you but… it was like you couldn't hear me. Your eyes were open but… nobody was home…"

"I was dreaming. That's all… not a big deal, nothing to worry about. I'm sorry I woke you." He smiled and leaned back onto his elbows. Will clambered back into bed. Jake rolled over and for a long time after Jake had fallen back asleep, Will lay awake, staring at his brothers back and worrying about him. He wished desperately Jake had trusted him enough to tell him what had really been going on.

XO

On the day of their departure, the entire town came out to wave them goodbye. Jake kissed Angelika and held her hands tightly, looking deep into her eyes. He smiled at her in a way he hoped looked reassuring, but also nonchalant. He kissed her again. Jake hated leaving town. Will swept over and dipped Angelika and kissed her. The townspeople laughed. Jake flushed and looked the other way. Once Will was seated valiantly on his horse, the pair departed, waving back at their friends until the village was over the horizon.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: (see chapter one) quick REMINDER here. I'm going with the ages the movie gave for the brothers, and in the movie, Will's the older one. I know it's not historically right, but I like the age-relationship thing they have in the movie, and I wanted to keep it. So that's why their ages are, historically, backwards/wrong. Please keep that in mind.

2

They had been riding for days. Once they had turned east in Frankfurt, they expected no more than a day or two more. They rode on and on, and in each town stopped and asked directions to Coburg. In each town they received sad looks, head shakes, and the instruction to continue east. Jake soon declared it "disgustingly vague."

Finally, a week from Frankfurt, they began to see the first signs that they were approaching their destination. The water on the side of the road got very cloudy, and then very dark, and then a thin layer of fog formed on top. Then the fog got very thick, and very black. They came to the front gate of Coburg to find the entire town engulfed in black fog.

"Doesn't look much like The Plague _to me_…" Will said sternly, but he sounded nervous. Jake nodded. The town was seemingly empty as they rode in. "Hello?" Will yelled. "The Brothers Grimm are here!" Jacob laughed. There was a creaking from behind them, and the pair spun around in their saddles wearing identical looks of apprehension. A young mans face poked out from a doorframe. He stepped out, wrapped in a heavy traveling cloak, even though it was quite warm out.

"Ah… Grimms." He said. "Welcome. Here… come in." He opened the door a tad wider. Jake and Will got off their horses and tied them to a post beside the nearest building. Passing the young man, they entered the hustle and bustle of an inn packed with just about the entire town.

"Hello Grimms!" A middle aged man rushed to them. "I'm the mayor here. We are all so glad you received our message… and decided to come." He fidgeted.

"Yea well… we were… intrigued by your… fog problem." He looked around as if to illustrate that there was, in fact, fog. His bored look suddenly changed to his most charming grin. "Will Grimm." He extended his hand. Most of the young women were eying him. "This is my brother-"

"Jacob Grimm." Jake cut him off. Suddenly he realized that he was sick of being introduced when he could introduce himself just as well. The Mayor more readily shook hands with him. "It's a pleasure."

"Now." Will re-took control of the conversation. Jake tossed him a dirty look. "If you wouldn't mind, I feel we should all talk in private for a bit. Sort out the details of all this." He took the Mayor by the elbow and led him off to the back of the inn, ignoring Jake as best he could. Jake, in turn, huffed, and considered not following them. He did though, and he had to assume he looked rather foolish jogging to catch up with his brother.

The three of them stepped into a bedroom in the back, and automatically Jake took a seat at the desk. Pulling out his book and pen, he arranged himself so he could sit facing the middle of the room.

"So." Will said casually. "What is this? Are we talking about some…chemical in the water that makes this fog? Or do we honestly think this is magic?" The Mayor was aghast.

"N-no! Of course it's not a trick!" he stuttered. "This is honest dark magic. It must be!"

"Of course… of course… you must excuse my brother. He's something of an ass sometimes." Jake said calmly. He bit on the end of his pen for a moment. "Let's just start at the beginning, shall we? Just tell us when, and how this all started."

And the Mayor went on to tell the entire story. How, about a month ago, they all began to notice the water getting darker, then cloudier and down the progression until all of their water was black and had fog over it. He explained that after weeks of this, they sent for help.

"So, we sent Robbie with a message to you all. We'd heard the tales of your heroism in other towns and we hoped you could help us too. We thought you weren't coming, it took so long for you to arrive." The brothers exchanged annoyed looks. "So you can understand how glad we were you arrived. Robbie was the young man who met you at the door. Of course, once the fog overwhelmed the entire village most of the town agreed we ought to all move in together, safety in numbers, you know. So here we are. We've been living off the alcohol here for almost two weeks, since we can't drink the water."

"Oh, well. That explains things." Will scoffed. Jake rolled his eyes and scribbled some notes down.

"How do you mean?" the Mayor asked innocently.

"The boy… Robbie? Who met us at the door; he was wearing one of the thickest cloaks I've ever seen. Mind you, it's summer!"

"Oh... yes, well. We don't want to be exposed to the fog too much. It does… strange things to people. Very strange things…"

"Like what?" Jake asked.

"It's hard to explain. Makes them… a little crazy I have to say. We… we don't really have any proof that it's the fog that does this, but… it could be. You know, it's really the only explanation." Jake chewed the end of his pen and buried his face in his hands, thinking.

"Was there…" he started, then changed his mind. "Did the fog seem to… originate from anywhere?" The Mayor jumped, as if suddenly hit by an idea.

"The Lake!" he exclaimed. "We saw the first signs of the fog out on the lake!

"Then that's where we should begin our investigation." Will burst in. "We'll need a boat, of course… and a guide probably…"

"Oh no… I don't think a guide would help you… nor do I think that anyone would be willing to go with you… to venture out into that fog… oh no… oh no…" The Mayor shook his head sadly.

"Fine then," Will pouted. "We'll go alone. Just supply us with a boat, and let us go out there alone." The Mayor sighed and Jake threw Will a secret, desperate glance. Going out on that foggy, maybe evil, lake, all alone, did not sound at all like a good plan. Or even a decent plan. Will ignored him good-naturedly, and Jake moaned.

"I can't say I suggest it…" the Mayor mumbled, more to himself than to either Will or Jake. "What do you think?" He asked Jake.

"Well…" He paused, looking towards Will. He wore an angry expression. "I can't say I think it's completely wise to go out on that lake, but…it's certainly necessary." Will smiled at him, grateful Jake had stuck up for his decision. "I think we ought to go tomorrow morning, early… So we have as much light as possible for as long as possible…I wouldn't want us to get lost out there and not be able to find our way home!" He chuckled merrily, or about as merrily as he could muster. The Mayor gave a weak smile and moved towards the door.

"Well, I'll arrange a boat for you… for tomorrow. I…I suppose this room will be fine for you two to stay in then… 'Til the morning." He promptly stepped out and shut the door loudly.

"That was productive." Will jeered. Jake thumbed through his notes.

"You know Will, I think this might be dangerous." Will rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying we should be careful. That's all."

XO

Jake awoke before the sun had risen, panicky and in a cold sweat. Will slept soundly next to him. Trying hard to calm himself, Jacob considered waking Will. 'No' he thought. He couldn't explain the horrible feeling that had woken him, nor could he force himself to bother Will with such trivial things. He didn't fall back asleep for the rest of the night.

XOxo

_Thanks for reading and hopefully reviewing. Thanks to StrawberrySunshine, __Alatarial Elf__jessie-ashley__The Hobbit Lass__ and especially __Irish Sundae__. And to Alone Dreaming, sorry it's not historically right, but it is based off the movie. I hope that you (all of you) continue reading, and I do appreciate constructive criticism. I'd love to have it. I'd love positive stuff better, but I just like reviews. _


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: see chapter 1 and 2

3

Will awoke to find Jake sitting in a chair staring off into space.

"You're up early…Didn't sleep too well?" Will yawned, sitting up.

"No…not really."

"You should have woken me up, Jake. We're a better team when we're both tired, you know." He chuckled.

"I didn't want to bother you." Jake said honestly. Will laughed.

"Don't be silly! You're my brother. You're never bothering me." His voice softened. "I'm here for you, Jake. Always. Don't worry about it next time, alright?" Jake smiled hesitantly. He wasn't convinced. "Besides, when did you get so quiet? You were really outspoken for a while there." Jake shrugged. It was true, after the incident with the forest and Angelika he had been much more outgoing and happy and altogether more personable. Now, he just didn't really feel like it. He explained it to himself as, now that he and Will were back

XO

The Mayor and Robbie led them down to the lake once the sun was fully up. The fog was thicker than ever.

"Well," The Mayor accompanied the brothers to a small boat on the bank of the lake. It was a teeny row-boat, with two wooden seats at both ends and a set of oars. Jake stared at it nervously. Will groaned miserably next to him. Robbie had lingered outside the thickest of the fog, frightened of its negative effect. "Here you are. Best we've got I'm afraid. Do be careful. I hope you can solve this…" He waved and ran off. Will and Jake stared after him, confused and alone. Will clambered awkwardly into the boat.

"Come on, Jake! Let's go!" Will took the oars in his hands and grinned cockily at his brother.

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Jake scrambled into the boat, having trouble finding his balance.

"You've got a bad feeling about a lot of things, Jake." Will joked and started rowing. Jake was caught off balanced and tipped over. Will laughed at him. Gripping the edge of the boat with white knuckles, Jake stared down into the inky black water.

"Look at this water…"

"What?" Will whistled happily to himself and rowed.

"It's pitch black" he stuck his finger in it and when he dragged it out, the water clung to his finger. "Ugh… it's like syrup."

"Syrup?"

"Uhm…tree sap, maybe? It's awfully thick." Will nodded knowingly. "Very curious…" Jake pulled out his notebook and slowly started writing.

"What're you writing about?" Jake said nothing for a long time. Finally, he stuck his pen in his mouth and said, garbled, "nuffing." Will sighed. They sat in silence for over half an hour while Will rowed around, mostly in circles. Finally, Will stopped rowing and started looking out over the water. It took Jake a few minutes to notice.

"Why did we stop?" He asked, finally, looking up from his book.

"Jake, which way did we come from?" Will asked slowly. Jake looked at him incredulously. He pointed over his shoulder. "Okay. Can you see the shore?" Jake sluggishly turned around. Despite the fog, he had expected to see at least a little bit of land. He didn't think they could be all that far off shore. All he could see was fog, layer upon layer of fog.

"Oh god… Where are we?" Will shrugged miserably. "Is that why we've just been going around and around for half an hour?"

"Yes. I'm afraid we're horribly lost. What do you suggest?" Jake was silent. "Well, you're supposed to be the smart one." Will said bitterly.

"Will… don't be like that. I'm sorry… I don't _know_ what to do…I'm sorry…" He stared into the water.

"What are you sorry about? You haven't done anything wrong." Will had meant to sound comforting, but had ended up sounding mean and accusing. Jake squeaked miserably. He had taken it as 'you haven't done anything right, either.' "Oh Jake…" Jake didn't respond. Will hadn't treated him like this is a long time. He didn't know what was getting into him. Will looked at him sadly, trying to catch his eyes. He couldn't. Jake avoided him superbly, as he had been doing for most of his life. "Jacob… I'm sorry… I didn't mean it like that."

XO

After three hours of floating around on the viscous lake, Will had settled himself on the bottom of the boat, while Jake had pulled out his book again and was idly thumbing through it, reading his own scrawling handwriting. Occasionally, Will had waggled his fingers in the water, and each time he had found it harder to drag his fingers out. He had mentioned it to Jake once or twice, but Jake never responded (Will concluded he was being immature and giving him the cold shoulder).

"Will…" Jake said so softly Will barely heard him. "You…are you mad at me?" Will rolled up onto his feet, crouching in the boat indignantly. This had rocked the boat and Jake grasped the side as it settled out.

"Me?" Will cried, "Angry with _you_? Why? For god's sakes why?"

"I…I…" The words died on Jacobs lips.

"If anything, you should be mad at me!" Will stared at Jake longingly, hoping for some connection between them. He received nothing. "I thought we'd really gotten somewhere…" he mumbled to himself. " I thought we could talk about this stuff now…" Easing himself back onto the floor of the boat, Will glared angrily into the fog.

Jake immersed himself in his book again. He wasn't reading it, but using it as an excuse to avoid a nasty confrontation with Will. He hated when they fought, or argued, or discussed with raised voices. They had done enough of that when they were younger. Will didn't understand why Jake wasn't talking to him. They had talked about everything, except Angelika, up until just weeks ago. He couldn't understand Jakes sudden coldness. It hurt him. He wanted to be a good older brother, but he didn't really know what to do. Jake had been exactly like this, emotional and sensitive and shut off from the world, when they were teenagers. Will had always been outgoing and, while he didn't discuss his inner workings, he'd never been like Jake.

"Jake…Jake!" Jake didn't reply, he barely looked up from his book. "Jacob Grimm! Talk to me!" He changed his tone, softening his voice to sound pleading. "Jake… please… just… look at me…" Jake didn't and, frustrated, Will batted the hardback out of his hand. Jake gasped, and the pair watched the book fly out of his hand and into the water. They had a moment, Will saying, 'God, I'm so sorry' with his eyes, and Jake looking incredulous. In a split second, Jake made a decision that there were some things that were worth saving no matter what.

He leapt of the boat, reaching for the book. His fingers brushed its disheveled cover, but slid off. He gasped for air and dipped under the water. It was silent, completely silent, under the water. Jake tried desperately to find his way back to the surface, but the water was almost impossible to move though. He resurfaced barely long enough to take a breath and pry his eyes open. His fingers found the book, and grabbed it. He dragged it close to his chest, holding onto it as if for dear life. Jake felt himself being pulled back under the water, and in moments that felt like forever, he forced open his eyes and through the inky black water, he saw a single shining light. A gold ring glowed from the distance. Jake had written rings into his stories before so they held a place in his heart. This ring called to him. With no thought for the burning in his lungs, he turned downward towards the ring. A hand grabbed the back of his jacket and pulled. Jake felt like he was being torn apart and he gasped, finally remembering he was still underwater. He was drowning, he could feel it. The air was shockingly cold on his face. Coughing water and trying to breathe at the same time, Will grabbed him under the arms and heaved him into the boat. Jake coughed the thick, goopy water over the side, his eyes clamped closed. Finally, Jacob stopped coughing, and was taking deep, raspy breaths. Will watched his brother, unsure of what to do. At last, he pulled Jake close to him, holding his little brother tightly to his chest. Jake, in turn, clung to his book.

Will held Jake's shaking shoulders. "Looks like you lost your glasses…" He sighed to himself, Jakes glasses would be hard to replace. He didn't really care though. When he had grown out of his childhood glasses, they had found him a new pair, they could do it again. Mostly, he was glad his brother was alive.

XOxo

_Chapter 2 wasn't great, but I like this one much much better. Well, the ending bit. Sorry the chapters are so short too… I'll try and write more next time, but now that schools started expect updates at less regular intervals… Righto, THANKS SOO SOOO SO MUCH for reading and reviewing and liking and being the coolest people EVER. If you want me to email you… or… whatever, cause I love to talk to people with similar interests to my own, put your email in the review…and I'll probably write you. Love-me _


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: see chapter 1&2. you know the drill…

Ch4

Jacob thought he felt the sun on his face. Of Course, once he opened his eyes he realized his senses were deceiving him. He was still so tired, his eyes hurt and his clothes felt very heavy. All he could see was fog. His shoulders were cramped and he was stretched out. Then it hit him, the boat couldn't possibly be big enough to have him stretched out and still have Will in it. Jake sat up abruptly. He looked around desperately; from behind him he was sure he heard a splash. He twisted around as best he could; frightened Will was drowning or… any number of horrible fates. To his initial shock, he came face to face with Will. He gasped happily, and half pounced on Will. Will laughed merrily and hugged his little brother tightly.

"Hey," he whispered. "how're you feeling?" Jake held onto Will, holding his brothers shirt, while still holding his book, though he didn't realize it.

"tired… but I'll live." Will looked grim. "what?"

"You were asleep for about a day and half. I was getting worried."

"Oh…" Jake tightened his grip on Will. "Will…" Jake pulled away from Will's embrace, and Will let him go, though reluctantly. Once Jake had settled himself in across the boat, he continued. "Thanks… for pulling me out of the water," he said shyly.

"You're lucky I did… I could barely see you and… the water was so heavy and you were so hard to drag out. I swear," he laughed insincerely. "It was like you were fighting against me."

"If I was…" Jake had realized that while Will had meant to sound light and uncaring, Jake hadn't been fooled. "I didn't mean to. But-"He cut himself off, just now realizing he was clutching his soggy book to his chest. He stared at it for a long moment, before setting it up on end in the middle of the boat. "It's wet," He explained. "I hope the ink didn't run too much…I'm still pretty damp too, actually…" He tugged off his boots, then his socks and wrung them out. A thick, tar like glop dripped from them. He groaned. "My feet were in that for a day and a half?" Will chuckled and nodded. Jake looked disgusted. He continued stripping off his clothes and wringing them out, this time over the side of the boat. "I can't believe the water was _that_ thick…" Will nodded his head thoughtfully.

"I tried to get your wet clothes off you, because you know how badly you react to colds, "Jake rolled his eyes. "But you wouldn't let me." Will shrugged the thought off. Jake blushed furiously. Finally, Jake sat in his end of the boat in just his under-shorts, shivering slightly. Most of his clothes were laying carefully over the edge of the boat, so they wouldn't touch the water, but also so they could drip out. The brothers had noticed that Jakes clothes seemed significantly wetter once they weren't on him anymore. Jake pulled his knees to his torso. Will watched him suffer silently, before laughing and pulling off his heavy overcoat. "Here, Jake. Wrap up." Jake wrapped his brother's coat around him tightly, closing his eyes and savoring the warmth.

"It's awfully cold…I'm still very tired," Jake sighed and leaned back.

"Try not to fall asleep, alright?" Will shook his finger at Jake. "You were asleep for over a day, and all that time I was afraid you weren't going to wake up. I'd rather not have to worry about that…" He hesitated. "Just… try to stay awake until we figure out a way out of this fog. Agreed?" He smiled. Jake nodded slowly.

"Alright… Will…" He faded off.

"What?"

"You realize we haven't eaten anything in days?" Jake said softly.

"Yes, Jacob, I do. I've been trying not to think about it." He put his head in his hands, and ruffled his hair. He whimpered. "I don't know what we're going to do, Jake…"

"We'll… we'll figure something out… it's not time to worry yet, brother." He grinned and patted Will on the shoulder.

"Jacob… tell me one of your stories…" Jakes face brightened.

"Really, Will?" His voice was bursting with excitement.

"Yes… Tell me one with a happy ending." Jake thought for a moment. "Just not that one with the incest, that's disgusting."

"You mean _All Kinds of Fur_?"

"Yea, that one. Just tell me a happy story." Jake sat in thought.

"Well, Wilhelm… none of them is entirely happy."

"Why not? Why can't they be cheerful all the time for once?" Jake was at a loss. Finally, he replied, "because…They wouldn't be very interesting, would they?"

"But… in that one… _All Kinds of Fur_? Why _incest_, Jake? Of all things, it's just… disgusting."

"Yes… Do you think I should change the beginning then?" Now it was Will's turn to sit quietly and think.

"n-no…."He said slowly. "If you changed the beginning, the rest wouldn't really make sense... So… no. don't change it." Jake smiled.

"So… I guess I can't tell you a story, then, can I?" Will laughed, and nodded.

"No… I suppose not…" It was quiet for a while, but not an awkward quiet. The silence was comfortable and complete, only occasionally disturbed when Jake would ruffle his coat. "Ah…Jake… about Angelika…"Jake glared at him without meaning to. "I'm not trying to steal her from you or anything…"

"Even if you were," Jake paused for dramatic effect. "I wouldn't care." He looked away.

"Yes you would! Jake, don't lie to me! We've worked so hard lately to know each other and... and... To understand each other and be better brothers. Jake, I don't want us to throw all that away over a girl."

"She's not _just_ 'a girl'!" Jake burst out. "I love her, Will! Why don't you understand that? I love her more than I've ever loved a woman before. This is true love here, Will, and I know you don't believe in all that, but it's true this time! I _love_ her, and every time you're near her… I just… you… You hit on her! I know you don't mean to, sometimes, that it's just the way you are, but… It hurts, Will… It's like… like…" He slumped back, frustrated. He felt so immature suddenly, having yelled at Will like that. Will was always there for him, protecting him and taking care of him… Jake sighed. Nothing ever went quite right. "Will…I…" He felt the temperature drop dramatically. Shivering, he continued, "I'm sorr-"

"Jake. No." Will wrapped his arms around himself to warm up, but his teeth were still chattering. "D-don't apologize. I…I should've been more considerate of your feelings… and… all of that. Angelika loves us both, and… I shouldn't have tugged at her like that. I don't want to tear apart everything we have now." Jake nodded solemnly. After a moment Will said through shattering teeth, "Why is it so goddamn c-cold?" Jake felt his clothes, praying they would be dry enough to put back on. They weren't. He wondered how Will could complain about being cold when he had on at least three layers, and Jake was wearing just a badly insulated overcoat.

"It's the fog… It's got to be…" His hands were shaking. He reached for his book, still perched in the middle of the boat. He snatched it up, eager to return his arm back to the slight warmth inside the igloo of Wills oversized coat. He flicked through the pages once, noticing happily, curious as it was, that none of the ink had smeared or run or been in anyway disrupted. He couldn't really read the words, lacking his glasses, but he could tell every letter was crisp and where it belonged. The temperature seemed to fall again. Will grabbed Jakes arm and tugged him to the center of the boat. Will joined him, and the pair huddled together. The air felt icy around them, their breath came in misty clouds. "Will… What're we…Will?" Jake looked towards his brother.

Will had his eyes clinched shut and he was grinding his teeth slightly. His one hand clutched his chest, the other dug into his thigh. His breath was shaky and shallow.

"Will? What's happening? What's wrong?"

"Nothing big, Jake." Will hissed. It was obvious that this was not 'nothing'. Jake watched his brothers pain, unable to help.

"Oh, Will…" Jake gingerly held Wills shoulder, rubbing his thumb over the soft velvet of Wills jacket.

Finally, the pain passed, and Will sat panting, Jake still holding onto him… but tighter now.

"Will… what was that?" Jake said quietly, the worry in his voice sincere. Will didn't answer. "Wilhelm Grimm, tell me what happened."

"Jacob… You… In the forest, when I let you stab me? You remember that, of course." Jake nodded. "Ever since…I've been having little… fits like this. Just now and then. At first, they were just little tinges, but they've been getting worse for weeks now…"Anticipating his little brothers upcoming question, he said, "I didn't tell you about it because I didn't want to worry you. So my chest hurts once in a while, so what? I'm perfectly healthy the rest of the time." Jake was worried, but he knew better than to argue. It wouldn't get him anywhere, and he never won fights against Will anyway. Will grinned and gave Jake a playful punch on the shoulder. "Stop worrying so much. You'll be old before you know it, why don't you spend your youth having fun?" Jake smiled.

"I just don't want you to die, that's all." He said quietly. "I hope that's not too much to ask… of course, maybe it is a silly thing to worry about after all…" He joked. His feet felt numb, he dimly wondered if he was imagining it.

The boat jolted. Will and Jake stiffened.

"What was that?"

The row-boat suddenly tipped backwards, sending the boys out of the boat, their feet over their heads. They hit the icy cold water and sunk quickly. The water was heavy, opaque… the brothers lost track of each other fast. Will struggled to try and swim, but no matter how hard he tried he could find neither the surface of the water or his brother. Jake, meanwhile, had gone completely numb. Something drew him to open his eyes, and there, clear as day, was the same golden ring he had seen before. He stared at it, just as entranced as before, and as he eyed it, a thin hand appeared, the ring fit snugly around its third finger. At first it was transparent, but it slowly solidified. Following the appearance of the hand was the appearance of an arm, and then the shoulder and finally a womans head emerged from the darkness. She was beautiful, yet frightening. Pale and gaunt, her dark eyes popped from beneath a mess of long, dark hair.

She reached towards Jake and, from quite a distance, Will watched, horrified. He wanted badly to do something.

'Jhay-kob…' The whisper floated around him. Will could see Jake staring at the mysterious woman. Her hand was mere centimeters from his face.

Jake watched this woman reaching toward him, and all of the sudden, she was behind him, her chin on his shoulder. Her long, thin hands wrapped around his body, her fingers stroked his chin. Her hair tickled his face.

"Jacob!" Will yelled. He lost all the air in his lungs, and he could feel himself start to drown.

Jake barely heard his brothers call, but it was enough to snap him out of the trance he was in. rapidly his chest started to burn. He blinked and when he opened his eyes again, dark eyes met his. They pleaded with him.

Will's vision blurred. He lost consciousness, silently hoping Jake would be alright.

Jacob felt the womans touch on his lips, and everything went black.

XOxoxo

_This chapters a little longer, hope you liked it! I do. It's pretty okay. More soon, hopefully. Love,-me._


	5. Chapter 5

insert disclaimer here

Ch5

Wills head was pounding. He took it as a sure fire sign he was alive. Never before in his life had he ever been glad to have a headache. He slowly realized that he was floating, and that his head was bumping into something hard. Opening his eyes, he was surprised at what was around him. There were rocks all around, and in the dips and crevices water had collected and remained long after the tide went out. He was laying in one of the deepest of these tidal pools. Most surprising of all was how blue the water was. It was clear as ice, and just as cold. Will wanted to get up, out of the cold wetness, and look for Jake, but he didn't. He propped himself up against the rock behind him and shook out his dirty blonde hair. It was dead silent.

A low moan met his ears and Will perked up, straining for another sound. He leapt out of the pool of water, the air stinging him, and began to trudge over the rocks.

"Jake!" he cried. "Jacob! Where are you? Can you hear me?"

"Will…" a voice responded, barely audible. Will was climbing towards the tallest pile of rocks, and several times along the way he tripped or slid or twisted his ankles. Finally, he reached the top. As he clambered over them and down the steep incline on the other side, he expected to see Jake. He expected to, at any moment, turn and corner or what not and see Jake, sprawled out, hurt, bleeding, dying, broken… _ruined_. He reached the bottom, facing the rock wall. He stared at it. Praying silently, Will swallowed hard and turned around.

Jake was curled up on his side, facing out to the lake. Will's overcoat was lightly draped over him. He wasn't moving. Something glittered by him.

"Jake…?" Will approached his brother slowly. He numbly realized he was walking on his toes. Crouching by Jacobs still form, he felt about to cry. He had been so sure he'd heard Jake call out to him though… Hesitantly, he put his hand on Jakes shoulder. "Jacob?" His voice cracked. Jake's body shuddered under his touch.

When Jake had woken up, he had been sore and cold and that woman's face had been all he could see. She had disappeared, but he hadn't closed his eyes since. He didn't want her to come back.

So now, as he stared out towards the blue water that faded to black as the fog engulfed it, he had not been expecting anything. He could barely remember Will. He felt as though his entire life had been laying on this rock, and that everything he remembered, however dimly, had been a dream. He barely heard Will's voice, and when he had responded to his brother's call, it had been more of a question than an exclamation. When Will touched him, he was so unaccustomed to the feeling he jumped in spite of himself. He wasn't surprised, like Will guessed he was, he just seemed to have forgotten what being touched felt like.

He hadn't been on that ledge for his entire life. Jake remembered that know. He felt sick over the past hours. He squeezed his eyes closed, and when he opened them again, Will was staring at him curiously.

"Are you alright, Jake?" Will smiled a little and suddenly Jake felt hands under his arms dragging him up. "Jake?" he felt dizzy. Will plopped down next to him and casually tossed an arm across Jake's shoulders. "I was worried for a second there."

"Yes…I'm fine, Will. Just fine…" He dragged his knees up to his chest. "The most curious thing happened while I was lying here." Will noticed Jake sounded detached ad quiet. "I felt I had spent my whole life on this ledge. That neither you nor anything I had ever done had actually existed… it felt like my whole life had been a dream." He stared off into the distance. "it was silly." He added suddenly, feeling stupid he'd even mentioned it.

"Well… you needn't worry, everything will be alright now. I've got a feeling." Will smiled goofily. "Things always work out in the end for us." He glanced down. There, right at Jakes feet, were his glasses. Will recognized that they had been there all along, that he had seen them glittering before. He snatched them up. "Look Jake, your glasses! How bizarre!" Jake took them out of his hand so lightly Will barely felt it. Jake placed them on his nose and, blinking, smiled.

"Thanks." He paused. "Will…I'm sorry I got us into all this. We should have realized that, after our first assessment, that this was out of our league… we should have left then."

"Don't be silly. Do you know what would happen if we weren't running off on adventures to help people?" Jake shook his head. "I'd get horribly bored." Jake laughed miserably.

"You're so absurd sometimes. Here we are, in the midst of the most trouble we've ever been in-" Will punched him playfully in the arm. "-just about, and you're joking around. We don't even know where we are… or…or… how what we're going to do…" Will shrugged and stood up.

"Let's not worry about that to much. Step one is to get back to town, we'll go from there, alright?" Will held out his hand to help Jake up.

"It's a deal, Will." They shook on it, and Will heaved Jake to his feet. They stood like that for a while, hands still clasped. Eventually, Will tugged his little brother in a tight hug. Jake was surprised.

"Thank god you're alright, Jacob. I was so worried," Will sighed softly. Jake incredulously stared over his shoulder towards Will. Will's fingers dug into Jakes back.

"Will…Will, I'm fine! Calm down." He took Will's shoulders and wrested his brother off of himself. "I'm completely fine. There was something wrong, before… but I'm fine now. You rescued me Will, just like you always do." He smiled hesitantly before giving Will a quick peck on the cheek.

"Jake," Will said, laughing. "What was that?" Jake was blushing horribly.

"It was… it was just…just…" he sputtered.

"It was just surprising, that's all. I wasn't expecting it. It's just that, well, you haven't kissed me since-"

"Since our sister died," Jake said quietly. "I know." Will was at a loss. He bit the corner of his lip.

"Yes…" He paused darkly. "Well," He grinned in a forced way, trying to lighten the mood. "We're brothers; it's been far too long." He leaned in and sloppily kissed Jakes scruffy cheek. "There. Now we're even." He smiled. As they started what was sure to be a long walk back to town, Will said, "You know I hate that semi-beard of yours, don't you?" Jake laughed heartily.

XO

For the umpteenth time since they'd started walking, Jake and Will had stopped. Having no shoes, Jakes feet were tender and sore after just over half an hour of straight walking on the rough, uneven rocks. Groaning, he took a seat on the rock beneath him. Will rolled his eyes. Jake sent him a dirty look in response.

"You try walking around barefoot on this!" Jake motioned to the jagged rocks around them.

"Honestly, _Jacob_, we're never going to get anywhere at this pace!" Will sighed crossly.

"Well I'm sorry, _Wilhelm_." Jake snapped. Will glared down towards his brother. They shared an awkward silence.

"So…Jake…" Will was trying hard to pretend his little brother hadn't just gotten snappy with him, and that they hadn't just gotten in yet another fight. "Who do you think that woman was?"

"Who?" Jake asked innocently.

"You know," Will replied, rolling his eyes. "The one in the lake," his voice was suddenly rising and he was talking faster, "the one who almost drowned you, with the dark hair and pale skin and no lower torso!"

"Oh…yes. Of course." Jake smiled briefly.

"So… who do you think she is?" Will said slowly. Jake stared off into the distance before responding.

"I think… I think she's very lonely."

"That doesn't answer who she is, now does it?" Will scoffed. Looking hurt, Jake huffily turned away from his brother, and Will, being equally annoyed, turned on his heel and crossed his arms. Both realized they were being immature, but neither cared.

"I'm sorry, Will…" Will opened his mouth to respond, but Jake cut him off. "Let's just keep walking, alright? We won't have to stop again. I promise…" He stood up and adjusted Wills coat. Will chuckled. "What's so funny, Will? Will, why are you laughing at me?"

"Nothing," Will laughed. "It's just… you're so passive, Jake. You always think it's your fault."

"Well… isn't it?"

Will took his brother elbow and they started walking. Jake watched Will carefully, waiting tensely for his answer.

"Not all the time, bro, just sometimes." Will joked.

"You're really supportive, you know that?" Jake said dryly. Will gave him a pleasant pat on the back.

"Always, Jacob, always."

XO

Three and a half hours later, the pair stumbled into the small village. The sun had set, and while they had walked by the light of the moon for a while, as they approached the town, the fog thickened and it got very dark, so dark they could barely see. As they entered the town, and the rock tapered out to soft soil, Jake sighed in relief.

"We're off the rocks…" he dug his toes into the earth as they walked.

"How can you tell?" Will hesitantly asked.

"My feet." Jake sighed, exasperated at having to ask such an obvious question. "I can feel it."

"Oh…So… does that mean we're in town, then?"

"I don't know." They continued walking. "Oh, look!" Jake pointed into the distance, where two squares of light shimmered through the haze.

"Where?"

"Over there…no, Will, to the left."

"How can you tell where I'm looking?"

"I just _know,_ Will. I know you that well. So do you see-"

"Oh, yes, I see it now! Fabulous!" With that, Will took a tighter grip on Jakes arm and dragged him towards the light.

"I hope we're actually back in town!" Jake said, while trying to concentrate on not beating up his feet on the mulch covered ground.

"Me too!" Will cried cheerfully as they reached the window of light. He found the door quickly and shoved it open. The pair toppled inside. The sudden light caught them off guard, as did the mass of people who rushed to them, and the squeals of joy that emanated from around the room.

XOxo

_Sorry this took so long, schools been hectic. Hopefully more soon! Thanks for sticking in there… Also, I'm sorry this chapter kinda sucks and didn't explain anything… LOVE YOU! -me_


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: see previous also, check out the chapters where I talk about the boys' ages. I still want that to be abundantly clear

Ch6

Before Will and Jake even really knew what was happening, they were being lifted and heaved to the other side of the room. They were placed into chairs in front of a sizzling fire and in instants the crowds receded. A young woman rushed forward and kissed their cheeks. She smiled broadly on them.

"Thank goodness you've returned!" Just as quickly as she had appeared, she was picked up by the hips and moved aside.

"Please excuse my sister." It was Robbie and he was drawn and looking tired. "We're all very glad you're back. You were gone over a week." Jake and Will exchanged looks of surprise. Robbie took a seat next to them. "I'd bet you two are starved. Lisa!" He called to his sister who a standing sulkily with a group of women. "You feed these two!" She stuck her tongue out, but strode off to the kitchen.

"Thank you so much." Will gleamed. "I didn't really feel hungry at all until you mentioned it." Jake nodded.

"Well!" The Mayor strode forward cheerfully. "I wondered what the hubbub was about! Welcome back boys!" He slapped Jake roughly on the back. Jake cringed in spite of himself. "Well…" He stared at them. Will shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Aren't you two a mess?"

"Are we?" A mirror was produced from the crowd. Jake recoiled from it, subconsciously uneasy. Will took a comforting hold on the back of Jakes arm, where no one could see. He felt it was important to keep up solid look about them in front of the villagers.

Their appearances shocked them. Wills face was gaunt, emaciated almost, and dirty. His usually light hair was dark with dirt and muck. Slightly disgusted, he pushed the mirror towards Jake, who didn't look much better. His eyes were rimmed in dark circles, along with a nasty bruise on his forehead. There was a tiny crack in the lens of his glasses.

"How did we not notice this?" asked Will, stunned. Jake shrugged. It did seem odd.

"Why don't you two go wash up, and when you get back, we'll have dinner for you." Robbie interjected, smiling.

"Sure. Yes, sounds great." Will took Jakes collar and dragged him off. They stepped into the room they had slept in the night they arrived and found it completely untouched. Jake fell back happily onto the bed while Will moved over to the bucket of water placed conveniently out for them. "It's like they expected us back…" Will mumbled to himself.

"How do you mean?"

"They've got water set out for us. Clean, clear water too…" He paused, thinking. "Where do you suppose they got it?"

"Good question…" Jake pulled his spectacles off his face, wretched himself off the bed and went to stand by Will. Though he was intrigued by the water, his curiosity was not enough to keep him from his need to be clean. After dipping his hands in the water they came out remarkably clean. Will gave him a significant look. Trying to ignore the uneasiness that was growing within him, Jake washed and dried his face. He sighed blissfully. Will stared at the water, nervous, before scrubbing his own face clean, and running a wet hand through his hair.

"Yuk….We ought to ask them about that woman."

"Yes. We should, but for now, let's just go eat and relax for a bit. I think we've had enough stress for today." With that, he smiled in a nonchalant way and opened the door for his dear brother to go through. Through reluctantly, Will did go out, closely followed by Jake.

They were greeted by a hot meal and what seemed like hundreds of people all wanting to talk to them. Wills anxiety was quickly forgotten in light of beautiful women and decent conversation. Jake, meanwhile, hung back from all the attention, knowing his brother was much better suited for it. Robbie and his sister, Lisa, sat with Jake, watching the festivities quietly.

"Listen, you two," Jake began. He honestly did not want to start this conversation, as it could only lead to unpleasantness, but he felt now was the time. "While Will and I were down on the lake, we encountered, more than once in my case, a woman. She was… well, let's say she accosted us underwater, just about drowned us both. She was charming; or rather… she was entrancing…You wouldn't happen to have any ideas as to who she is, do you?"

Lisa, who was a bit inebriated and red in the face leaned in close to him and whispered, "was she dead, d'you suppose?" giggling drunkenly, she leaned back in her chair. Jake rolled his eyes. After a brief moment, Robbie leaned forward.

"Was she though? Honestly, do you think this woman was dead?"

"Well….yes, I suppose she must have been. She was talking underwater, and, as my dear brother Wilhelm so gracefully put it, 'has no torso.' Curious thing, that. It was like all there was was her head, neck, shoulders, and an arm… and the rest was swallowed up by her hair or something." He glanced darkly around the room, keeping an eye out for Will.

"There are…stories…"Robbie looked around the large room, and when he spoke again, his tone had changed dramatically. "But that's nothing." He spoke lightly, with a false laugh tingeing his words. "Perhaps we'll discuss it later," He smiled. In an instant his face darkened and his voice lowered. "Not everything here is as it seems. People are dangerous and tricky. You and your brother would do best to watch your backs." Before Jake could question this, or even really respond to it, Robbie and his sister had disappeared into the crowds.

Jake glanced miserably around for Will. Finally, sick of waiting for Will to notice him, Jake stood up, walked to Will and wrested him free of the hoards of women around him.

"Thanks Jake," Will smiled. "You know just how I hate being surrounded by beautiful women." Jake sighed and pulled Will off to the side of the room and shoved him roughly into a chair.

"You have to listen to me, Will. For once in your life, I need you to listen to me and don't interrupt," Jake said firmly, taking a seat himself. Will was a little taken aback, but nodded and leaned back in his chair. Jake went on to explain about everything Robbie had just told him. When he was finished, Will didn't say anything, but just sat there with his mouth half open.

"But…I thought he didn't like us."

"I know! When we first arrived, he was so… quiet and suspicious…" Will nodded in agreement.

"Why do you think he told you that? I mean, I don't understand. What're we supposed to think of all this?" Jake shrugged and in the awkward silence that followed, the brothers looked around the room, finding it curiously empty. "Well, let's head off to be-…" Will trailed off in the middle of the word, staring at the space behind Jakes head.

"What? What is it? What are you staring at?" Frustrated, Jake turned around in his seat, following his brothers gaze to a dark corner across the empty space of the inn. In that corner, lit by the warm orange light from the dying fire was a pale face encircled by dark hair. "Oh god!" Jake leapt back, tipping over his chair and falling ungracefully to the ground. Will was suddenly grasping his shoulders and pulling him to his feet in a sloppy way that meant Jake fell back down a couple times. Neither of them took their eyes off the woman in the corner.

"He left me…" came a quiet voice from all around. Will looked away for half a second and when he looked back, the woman was inches from his face. His body stiffened and next to him Jake jumped about three feet in the air. "Don't leave me again. I won't let you…" She whispered and took his face tightly in gentle, thin hands. A horrible cold feeling over took him, and the room began to fade, and all Will could see was this beautifully frail and terrifying woman before him.

Jake, though he wanted badly to rip that woman off Will, he couldn't move. His body was aching to move and save his brother, the only person in the world he could really depend on, but he couldn't. He couldn't even speak.

Will was beginning to feel exhausted, but he was so cold it hurt.

Her face was slowly getting closer and closer to his, but the world was getting darker and darker through Will's eyes. Finally, he passed out, and as he fell harshly to the ground, the woman gave Jake one dark look and disappeared.

XO

When Will awoke about ten minutes later, Jake was leaning over him with a look of dire concern on his face.

"Thank god…"he breathed. "I thought- we thought, she'd killed you." Will had never seen Jake looked more relieved in his life. Will sat up, propping himself up on his elbows, he noticed Robbie was crouched next to him, looking grim.

"No…I…I'm fine…"

"Well of course you are!" Jake laughed mutedly. Will shivered; he hadn't felt cold until that instant. Jake noticed and the trio moved to sit in front of the warm embers still glowing in the fireplace. Will wrapped himself up and Jake casually tossed an arm over Will's shoulders. Robbie tugged off his boots to warm his feet. They sat quietly by the crackling coals for a few long moments.

"Robbie…will you tell us about her now?" he sighed miserably, frowning.

"My sister and I… A few years ago, more than a few I suppose…I was about 14 at the time, we fled our hometown due to it's infestation of…well, in any case, our mother made us leave. We rode for days to end up here. At first, I thought we'd found the perfect place to live, everyone was nice and caring and kind to us. Lisa was so small, I don't think she really remembers much… but after a few months of living here things got…. quite strange. People stopped talking, stopped laughing…" His rough voice faded into the quiet of the inn. "I asked around and…and I heard this story. In bits and pieces, mind you, but still…

"It was the story of this woman, this beautiful young woman who met a handsome young man who was from another town. She fell in love with him, and he loved her too. He wanted to marry her, but he didn't have any money, so he decided to… leave the town to go find his fortunes or… what not. And he told her, 'I love you, wait for me. I'll come back.' And he took a boat, and he left. She loved him so much; she sat by the edge of the lake waiting for his return. She waited for months, wasting away until she died. Even in death, though, she waited by the lake, haunting travelers…."

"But, that doesn't explain the fog." Will interjected quietly.

"No… no it doesn't. There must be something… upsetting her or something. But I can't imagine what."

"Has anything changed over the past month or so?" Jake said, tiredly. He leaned his head against Wills shoulder and closed his eyes. It had been a horribly long and stressful day.

"I… can't think of anything… This town has been very…xenophobic for as long as Lisa and I have been here to notice. "

"But you said they were kind to you two."

"They were!" Robbie cried defensively, "But we were children. I'm surprised they were even so kind to you, they were so reluctant to even ask for your help, but we couldn't go outside…" he sighed. "Things were bad…" He sighed sadly and stared into the orange glow from the fire.

"That's… very odd." Robbie nodded.

"You two ought to get some sleep." He said suddenly. "I'm sure you'll want to solve all our problems tomorrow." He laughed forcefully, stood up and strode off. Will sighed and dragged himself to his feet.

"Come on Jacob, let's get to bed." Jake looked up at him from the floor.

"But… what do you think of all this?" Will glared at him, exhausted.

"I'm too tired, Jake. We'll talk about it tomorrow, alright?" Jake sighed sadly. His curious side was dying to discuss it now. "Come on… You've got to be exhausted too." It was true. His eyes hurt even in the dim light that filled the inn. He thought about how to answer Will until his pounding head decided for him.

"You're right." He grinned softly. "You're always right," he added almost silently.

"No I'm not." Will breathed, almost as quietly. And just then, something clicked.

XO

_I just realized I've had this chapter done for just about over a month. Dayum. I've been so busy lately, what with school and I was in a play that just finished. Ack. So. I'm hoping to finish this story up soon. It's kinda dragging. Thanks for sticking in there, and REVIEWING! Lol. Yea. Wuve-Kagii_


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: you know the drill

Ch7

Jake slept uneasily that night; his suspicions about the townspeople having grown into full blown paranoia during the dark hours of the night.

As different as the brothers were during their waking hours, they were equally as different when they slept. Will was a deep sleeper, barely anything could wake him. Jake would wake up at the slightest breath of air. He would toss and turn all nice while Will was dead to the world nearby.

So, this one night, Jake spent half the night wide awake, lying perfectly still and staring at the ceiling. He was worried about something he couldn't form into words, no matter how hard he tried. He assumed Will was fast asleep, and Jake was hesitant to wake him up.

Will, meanwhile, was not as unconscious as his brother expected. Jakes movement had become something Will was so used to at night he couldn't fall asleep without it.

Both were miserable and sleepless, but neither said a word.

The morning arrived slowly. Jake watched as the sun rose, though mutedly, through the fog. He rolled over, exhausted, and was surprised to meet Will's eyes.

"You didn't sleep either?" Jake whispered. Will didn't respond or move. Finally, his tired eyes blinked.

"No." His voice was hoarse.

"Are you feeling alright?" Will stared deep into his brother's dark eyes. In truth, Will had been suffering all night long. His chest had been bothering him; the pain had come in sharp, horrible stabs. Will sat up, noticing that now the pain had subsided, he felt almost numb. He rubbed at his chest. "Will? Are you alright?" Will caught Jakes eyes again, shook off his discomfort and worries, tossed on a loose smile and said,

"I'm fine Jake. Don't worry." Jake stared at him, trying hard to see the truth. Will had been a professional liar for over five years and had become so good at it he could fool anybody. He laughed casually and leapt out of bed. "Don't worry so much, Jacob. You'll die young." Jake was convinced enough for all practical purposes.

"Will… we're going to go back out to that lake today." Will turned around sharply.

"What? Jake, we practically died out there! How can you-"

"Let me finish! For once, let me finish!" Will was taken aback. Jake had taken a sharp turn after their adventure in the witches' tower, but had receded back into his safety zone of meekness relatively quickly, leaving only hints of his previous boldness. This sudden outburst coupled with a burning in his eyes shocked Will. He sat down, keeping his eyes locked on Jakes.

"I'm sorry…Go ahead."

"We need to finish this. This people, who are already a little odd, are bound to go insane all locked up together. We need to go back to that lake and figure out that ghost-woman and make her go away. I want to go home, Will, and this is the only way we can leave." He paused. "So we've got to go down to that lake, and figure this out… okay?" Jakes intensity had faded.

"Right. Okay."

They dressed in silence.

XO

As they left the inn later that day, the townspeople stood, parted like the red sea, and watched them go. They whispered amongst themselves. Jakes chest was tightening up in response to his increasing nervousness. The moment the door closed behind them the entire world became a silent grayness. They stood awkwardly inches from the door for a long minute.

"Spooky, isn't it?" Will said coolly. Jake forced laughter wilted into a miserable groan.

"Let's just go."

They trudged anxiously down towards the grim shores of the lake. Once the lake was in sight, Will put out a hand to stop Jake.

"Jake…Jacob wait." Jake turned around to see a look on Wills face he had never seen before, a face ridden with guilt.

"What? What is it?"

"I need to tell you something… I didn't… well…" He took a deep breath. "This is all my fault." Jake gave him a questioning look. "Do you remember… years ago, when I decided to leave for a while?" Jake nodded slowly. "I wandered around for months and I ended up here. And I met that girl… and then mother got sick, and I had to come home. I told her I'd come back... and I meant to. I really did, Jacob, I really did. But things got so tough. And then we started our tricks and scams, and… she slipped my mind. I'm a horrible person, aren't I, Jake? All of this is my fault. It's entirely my fault that poor woman died on the edge of a lake, all alone… and it's my fault this town is covered in darkness and fog now."

Jake stood planted in the spot, shocked into submission.

"You… You did this?" he mumbled finally.

"I didn't mean to, Jake. You must believe I didn't mean to." Will's voice cracked sadly, a testament to his imperfection. Jake swallowed, desperately trying to clear his quickly closing throat.

"No…" he choked out. "Of course you didn't… no…" He pivoted on his heel, barely being able to see Will while he worked his way through the information that had been dropped on him so suddenly. He rubbed at his temples furiously, took a deep breath, adjusted his glasses and turned back around. "Okay…This… this is good to know…"

"Jake, I'm sorry…I put you in so much trouble…" Will stammered miserably, more unhappy and guilt-ridden and vulnerable than he'd been in years.

They were miles apart. Jake closed the space in two slow steps. Toe to toe with his brother, Jake looked straight into Will's eyes.

"It's okay. Will, I know you didn't mean to." he said smoothly, the usual slur that coated his words was gone. "It was an accident, a mistake. I'm not mad at you." Jake bit his lip and stared into Wills blue eyes.

"You look so…frustrated." Will whispered. With his forehead furrowed and lips slightly pouted, Jake looked just that. He consciously changed his expression… raising an eyebrow, smiling lop-sidedly. Will laughed, even though he hadn't wanted to. But Jake just looked so ridiculous. "You're the best little brother ever… did you know that?"

"You are so immature sometimes; I'd swear I'm the older one." Will laughed heartily.

"You wish, Jacob. You wish." They both smiled happily.

"Well… we ought to… ought to keep on going then." The smile fell from Wills face.

"Yes… I suppose we should."

Both their moods now severely deflated, the pair continued their trudge down towards the lakes edge.

XO

When they arrived, the fog was so thick it was hard to breathe. Jake coughed, his lungs stinging.

"What do we do now, Jake?" Will looked around nervously.

"To tell the truth, I hadn't gotten that far…" He stopped talking as an idea hit him. "Stay here, Will, okay?" Jake moved closer to the muddy bank of the lake. He eased himself towards the still water, slipping with each step. He began to step cautiously into the thick water and when he was Will's voice stopped him.

"Jacob! What're you-"He gasped, and then continued, his voice much softer, "look." He raised his arm slowly, and with a flick of the wrist, pointed to a spot over Jakes shoulder. Hovering just above the waters surface barely twenty feet behind them was Will's beautiful ex-love. Her toes skimmed the water. She stared icily through her curtain of black hair, and when Jake turned around, he was so surprised he jumped and slipped, falling heavily into the water. He tried to pull himself out of the water, only to find that it was viscous goo again. He was stuck, and a terrible fear of being drowned over took him.

Will began to wade out into the water, moving on bare instinct. He trudged out, the water allowed him to walk with ease. Jake watched, all his concern focused on his brother. As Will walked, the woman floated gracefully down towards him.

"Will! Will, wait!" Jake cried after him, increasing his efforts to free himself from the water, but finding it near impossible. He managed to heave himself so he was at least on his knees, and a good foot from drowning. The water clung to him, holding him back, with strong, elongated fingers.

Will and the woman met again. Her eyes were dark and frightening through her hair, her face hollow and dirty, her hair was a tangled mess. Will, a full head taller than her, caught her eyes and never looked away.

"Wilhelm…" she said in a low, breathy voice that barely sounded as though it could come from a human throat.

"Your voice is different…" He said thoughtfully.

"You left me…You left me…" Staring sadly into her hollowed face, a face that had once held such beauty, he reached out and brushed the hair from in front her eyes. A tiny muscle on his cheekbone twitched in discomfort as he tucked the strands of hair behind her ear.

"I know." Hanging loosely at his sides, Wills hands flexed and relaxed occasionally. Jake watched the scene with fascination; this was something he couldn't understand. Will was standing just thirty feet in front of him, and facing his worst sin.

"Mirabelle…" Will sighed. At the sound of her name, the woman's eyes widened.

"That's who I was…" She looked distracted. Will nodded numbly. His heart was hurting him, both physically and metaphorically. He noted the irony in the back of his mind. Ignoring the pain splintering in his chest, he gathered her up in his arms. She was as cold as ice, and the coldness spread through him. He placed his chin on the top of her head, his arms crossed behind her back so his fingers could cling to her shoulders. It obviously pained him to touch her, as his face was contorted in pain and distress.

"Wilhelm," She touched his cheek lightly and the other half of his face contorted in agony. It was becoming clear he was trying very hard not to let her know she was hurting him.

"Mirabelle," his voice shivered, "I am so sorry. Sorry beyond anything I could ever say. Sorry beyond words…I'm sorry I left you, sorry I didn't bring you with me…I'm sorry I didn't come back. And…I'm sorry I lied to you-"her fingernails dug into his cheek. He cringed, but made no noise. "Sorry I lied to you about why I left. I am so sorry about not coming back to you." He buried his face into her hair best as he could. "I wanted to, but…" His teeth chattered. Tiny ice crystals were beginning to form in his hair. "I am sorry…" Will pulled her small body closer to him. She molded to fit the subtle curves of his body. "I am so so sorry."

"My dear Wilhelm…how I missed you…" she breathed. Wills hands were shaking as he held her, but she took no notice. She made him so cold. The water around his legs was turning to ice. He took a shivering breath.

"God, but you are cold." He held her for a moment, the pulled her off of him. He looked into her eyes and said, "Darling Mirabelle…there are two things I truly regret in my life. The first," he glanced over his shoulder at Jake, who was eying him nervously and still trying to free himself from the water. "is how I've treated my brother over the years." Jakes glasses were hanging precariously on the edge of his nose. "I've been terrible to him…The second thing… The second thing I regret more than anything… was leaving you. It was such a mistake. I never should have done it. I pray you'll forgive me." His blue eyes met her black ones, and she smiled. Will shivered and pulled her back in, close to his chest.

Will looked down at her, the cold overtaking him, and pressed a kiss onto her lips.

"I wish you could know how sorry I am." He mumbled through their kiss. All the sadness the pair has felt washed over them, and Mirabelle dissolved into tears. And this is not a mere expression, some rhetorical turn or poetic and hyperbolic trope, but simply the unadorned, terribly truth. She leaned against him and began to dissolve. Her body melted, drenching Will in her watery tears. And then she was gone. Her hands had been the last to disappear. And then he was alone again, not clinging to Mirabelle's petite shoulders, but to his own. The ice on his hair melted and mingled with the perspiration and tears on his cheeks. His legs collapsed under him and he fell into the water, crashing through the thin layer of ice, and sat there. He sat on the back of his heels for a long time, crying silent tears for a woman he had loved and lost.

The water began to thin out to a normal thickness, and Jake ran awkwardly to comfort his brother. He ran to Wills side, and collapsed next to him. The water, now a natural clear-blue, radiated out in rings around them.

"Oh Will…" Jake sighed. He didn't know what to say. "I…" Will silenced him with a look. Jake slid an arm around Wills shoulders, and ducked his head down to check Wills face. His face was half hidden by his wet hair, but it was obvious he was in a numb, mind-dulling misery. He sighed sadly. He stared at the sky, expecting the sky to be gray and match both his and Wills mood.

"Look at that, Will… the sky's blue." The fog had lifted and the sun was out. Will looked up miserably. "We did it, Will… _you_ did it…" abruptly, Will smacked his hands down into the water, sending up splashes that spattered onto Jake.

"Damn it!" he yelled. He screamed furiously and beat at the water until he was too tired to continue, at which point, he turned unexpectedly and buried himself in Jakes chest. In truth, he was searching for warmth, some proof that he was alive and that someone loved him.

"Will… Everything's going to be alright now… It will… We'll go home and everything will be better. I promise. You do believe me, don't you Will?" Will looked up through his hair.

"That's what _I _told _her_. I _promised_ her I'd come back. Promises don't mean anything." He said bitterly.

"They mean something when I say them, Will. I will never break a promise. Especially not a promise to you. Never. I mean it, Will." He smiled in a comforting way, and Will nodded. His nod was so slight it was barely visible. But Jake saw it and grinned.

XOxo

_Wow. Hey. This took Forever, I know! I'm sorry. But I think this is an okay chapter, so here it is. It's also longer than my other ones. So.. I hope that makes up for it. Sorta. Thanks to all of you for reading, reviewing and sticking with it. As I am under the impression that 7 chapters is usually about right for a story, and this one is already 7 chapters, the next chapter will most likely be the final chapter. No guarantees, but this story does seem to be reaching its natural conclusion, no? yes._

_Also, I got the DVD of The Brothers Grimm for Christmas. I was very happy. so yes. _

_I LUH YOU! (love you all) -Kagii_


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own the DVD now, but no money shall be made off this.

Ch8

The sun came out almost immediately, and back in town, the villagers hesitantly stepped outside. The sun hurt their eyes at first, but the fresh air was a welcome relief. All of them stretching and taking deep breaths, laughing and celebrating. Robbie led his sister out from the crowd.

"I think we ought to leave this town as soon as possible," he whispered to her. She nodded vigorously.

"What about the brothers?" she murmured. Her brother glanced over his shoulder to the crowd.

"I haven't forgotten about them… I think we ought to find them before the villagers do. It'll be best for them… and us I think." Lisa bit her lip nervously; it was a habit she just couldn't kick. She looked around at the merry towns-people around her, then back to her brother's worried gaze.

"I'll miss some of them…" Robbie smiled and took his sisters wrist.

"Some on them, sure." He laughed and they began to sneak away. "But it'll be good to get away. Get a fresh start… "Lisa giggled happily, before furiously shushing herself. She understood the need for them to slip away unnoticed and found it wonderfully exciting.

They snuck down the narrow dirt path towards the lake together. Their feet crunched on the mulchy ground as they walked. It was warm and sunny for the first time in months.

Jake heard them coming before he could see them. Will was still deep inside himself. Robbie and Lisa turned the final bend in the road to the lake, and Jake stood up out of the water. He waved pleasantly to them. Lisa burst into a wide grin and ran to him.

"Thank god!" She flung her arms around his neck. Surprised, Jake lost his balanced clumsily and the pair tumbled into the water. From the shore, Robbie laughed, as did Jake and Lisa in the water.

Will was still planted on his knees in the water, staring at nothing. Lisa noticed this, in her own way, and hugged him into the water too.

"Look," Robbie felt a need to bring back the somber feeling of the situation. "I think you ought to get out of town before the townspeople start looking for you. Lisa and I are going to leave as well." He shoved his hands into his pockets. Jake and Will exchanged looks and pulled themselves out the water. Still hanging off Wills neck, Lisa stumbled up as well.

"Why would we want to avoid them?"

"They might want to make you stay." Robbie said darkly. Will laughed; though he couldn't place what he thought was funny.

"Come along, Herr Grimm, let's go. We'll all go together." Lisa took his hand and dragged him out of the water. Jake followed them out, and the three of them, all soaking wet and dripping, trudged over the muddy shore and back up onto the path.

Robbie stood on the beach staring at the water.

"Hey, Rob," Will called out. "Ready?" Robbie spun around slowly.

"Yea… It's just… well, the water hasn't been this clear in a while. And… You know, nobody has _ever_ called me 'Rob' before." He chuckled.

"Well, today's your lucky day… I'm ready to get out of here…" Jake gave Will a friendly pat on the back.

"Me too."

"Where do you two live, anyway?" Lisa piped in. Jake threw Will a glance before answering.

"Marbaden. In all technicalities." She gave him a blank look.

"I've never even heard of it."

"It's a well kept secret." Will joked as Robbie met them at the edge of the path. "Finally." He said to Robbie, ruffling his dark hair. "Took you long enough." He handed Robbie his sister and as they started walking, sped his step to catch up with Jake.

"Thank you." He whispered. "You're… you're really amazing, you know that?"

"You flatter me."

"No… I mean it, Jake. I don't know where I'd be without you." Jake looked him straight in the eye.

"Here, Will. You'd be here, with that woman living happily ever after… and everything would've worked out for the best. Everything. You'd be happy with Mirabelle… and mother… and Charlotte…"

"Jake!" Will hissed. "Stop it. Just stop. Stop blaming yourself for everything. Stop blaming yourself for Charlotte, at least. It… She… her death was no fault of yours. She was beyond saving, Jake… she was. Nothing could have helped her." He paused, taking a long look at the landscape around him. "It was wrong of me to be angry with you over it. You didn't know any better… and as for Mirabelle. There is nothing about what happened that you could even try and blame yourself for. All of this was my fault for being a horrible person."

"I'm glad you've gotten over that." Jake mumbled. Will punched him playfully on the arm. Smiling softly, happy that things were back to how they should be, Will took a deep breath.

"Well Jake, let's hurry. I want to get home." He grinned and took a hop before jogging up the path a ways. "Let's go! Come on, you three!" Jake ran off to catch his brother and they stumbled and tripped the rest of the way up the path in hurried attempts to catch each other. And though they couldn't really know it, they were reliving the childhood they had never lived in the first place.

XO

They retrieved their horses, and stole one for Robbie and Lisa, and the four of them rode off before anyone had noticed. They arrived back in Marbaden within the week, as though by miracle. They were greeted happily, and when Angelika finally arrived on the scene, Jacob slid off his horse and rushed to her. In one fluid motion, he swept her up in a deep kiss. He had never been quite so graceful. When he pulled away from her, she was in shock. Their faces were inches away, and Jake's eyes roamed over every detail of her face.

"Welcome home…" She whispered. He kissed her again, gentler this time.

"I love you… did you know that?" Angelika blushed.

"Of course… I love you too, Jake." Jake's face erupted into a wide grin.

"Well you two lovebirds," Will cut in and stopped their romantic moment. Jake gave him an exasperated look. "What? Don't give me any of that Jake. I'm just as glad to be home as you are, you know."

"Of course…"

"Well, I suppose I'll start on my plan to steal your woman then…" Will grinned schemingly and plucked Angelika off Jakes arm and led her away.

"Will!" Jake cried out miserably and ran after them. He caught up to them, thoroughly distressed, only to find the pair laughing quietly. "Oh you two…" He sighed. "Why do you tease me so?" Will tugged Jake onto his other arm, smiling gleefully.

"Because we know how much you love the attention." Jake looked put out, but only for a moment. He couldn't help but laugh. His brother had always amused him.

XOxo

_Fin. _

_I know. It's a horrible ending. I suck at endings and I took forever on this final chapter. So. Sorry about that. Thanks for reading though. Thanks a lot. -Kagii_


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